46 replies to this topic

[brucemoxon]

Sometime TNF-er and former pretty useful driver and more-than-useful rally navigator, Barry Lake, passed away yesterday (July 20), after a long illness.

Barry was also a motoring and motorsport writer of some repute, having edited Motor magazine for some time in the 1980s.

He's survived by two sons and a daughter.

He was something of a mentor to me (whether he realised it or not), as well as a friend. I've only just heard of this so it's yet to sink in.




Bruce Moxon

[ellrosso]

Very sad news. RIP Barry.

[Roger Clark]

Sad news. I only knew Barry through TNF and some correspondence but he was always informed, positive and helpful. I believe he was also a dancer in his time.

Condolences to all.

[Barry Boor]

Very sorry to hear this news.

[Ian G]

Sad news.

[brucemoxon]

Sad news. I only knew Barry through TNF and some correspondence but he was always informed, positive and helpful. I believe he was also a dancer in his time.

Condolences to all.

Yes, he was a very good ballroom dancer, Roger. He was part of the closing ceremony for the Sydney Olympics. I'd forgotten that.




BM

[Nanni Dietrich]

Sad sad news.
Barry was a precious contributor to the Motorsport-Memorial.

[275 GTB-4]

Appalling news...I spoke to Barry only once or twice and corresponded with him some....how very sad....they are dropping like flies

[Hank the Deuce]

Sad news. I bought Modern Motor religiously during his stewardship, and count among my cherished memories, an impromptu lunch with Barry and my father during a break in the 1991 NRMA Energy Challenge, when it paused in Wollongong. Barry regaled me with tales of his life's journey to that point, and while any claim on my part that I knew him would be erroneous, I always treasured the time he took to share an hour or so of his time with me.

Sad news, and my condolences to his family, and to those who counted him among their friends.

[Ray Bell]

Barry took up dancing to improve his fitness... it tended to absorb a lot of his life over the last dozen or so active years he had...

We've had our moments, but he has to be admired as a dedicated historian if nothing else. One wonders what will now happen to his massive collection of books, he's often mentioned them on TNF with regard to them filling every cavity in his home. Undoubtedly he's provided something for them in his will.

A few months ago he told Max Stahl to let me know he'd be happy to see me if I could visit him at the nursing home, but I haven't had a chance to get there. Max told me on Thursday that his time was running out fast, way to young at something in his late-ish sixties. Does anyone know more on that score?

[austmcreg]

he has to be admired as a dedicated historian

My condolences to Barry's family and friends.

Barry started a magazine called (from memory) Cars and Drivers Australia, in the mid 1970s, dedicated to Australian motor racing history. It was before its time in many ways, and I guess that is why it only lasted three issues, but it deserved much more. There has been nothing as good since.

I have heard that Barry was a great fan of Jack Brabham, and had quite a library of Brabham memorabilia and photographs. Does anyone know more about that?

Rob Saward

[Brian Lear]

A few reflections on Barry’s life…..

Barry Lake, born in Adelaide, South Australia, passed away in Sydney, Australia on 20th July 2012 – just one day short of his 70th birthday.
Barry’s death comes after a long two year battle with illness.
Barry first attended the Easter race meeting at Bathurst in 1951 and became an ardent follower of motor racing and speedway until his illness two years ago.
He raced billycarts from 1951 then bicycles from 1954 to 1959. His first official motor sport event was in 1960 in an Alvis Car Club night trial in a Morgan 4/4.
He raced open wheel racing cars from 1961 to 1968, firstly in a Cooper – Norton, then a Jolus and finally an Elfin Catalina. He drove and navigated in rallies from 1969 to 1994, competed in the 1977 London to Sydney Marathon (retired) and again in the 1993 event to be placed 2nd outright. Other major rallies included the 1979 Repco Round Australia Trial (3rd outright) in the Marlboro Holden Dealer Team entry with Rauno Aaltonen and Shekhar Mehta.
Barry was a freelance journalist since 1970, contributing to Australian Motoring News, Racing Car News, Chequered Flag , Auto Action , Sports Car World, Motor Racing Australia and Off Road Australia magazines. During this time he also contributed articles to Autosport Japan, Autocar & Motor, Racecar Engineering, Autocar India and Automobile Year.
He was Editor of Modern MOTOR magazine from 1981 to 1989.
He was the author of several books including “MG Cars in Australia” and “Half a Century of Speed” and had several more books in the pipeline. He was an ardent collector of books with a personal library of many thousands of titles.
Up until his illness prevented his participation, he was a regular contributor to The Nostalgia Forum.

He will be sadly missed

Rest in Peace

[terry mcgrath]

a great historian and he had great plans but not forfilled.
I drove around Wanneroo Track with him in a variety of cars on a Pirelli tire test session some years back.
He willed be missed
terry

[David M. Kane]

Goodbye Barry RIP

[Muzza]

I'm very sad to hear this. I never had the chance of meeting Barry in person, but after crossing with him here at TNF in 2003 we exchanged e-mails since, and I consider him a friend.

He was amongst the first TNF members to support the Motorsport Memorial project, and became a very active contributor to it. We also exchanged messages about the most different and non-racing related subjects. Barry lived an active and colourful life, and his last years seemed to have been quite joyous. I had heard that he was ill, but I had no idea how serious it was. His passing comes as a surprise to me.

My thoughts are with his family and friends.

[Doug Nye]

I am very sorry indeed to hear of Barry's death. We first corresponded sometime in the early '80s, I think, if not the late '70s, and he was another intensely knowledgeable enthusiast never averse to sharing his knowledge and expertise. I would be grateful if anyone close to him and his family would pass on my most sincere sympathy in their loss.

DCN

[Richard Jenkins]

Lovely tribute Brian, thank you.

I was actually surprised Barry was near 70 - his enthusiasm and energy made him out to be a much younger fellow.

I'm extremely saddened by this - when I first came on TNF, Barry was one of the first, and most helpful people to me - his dedication to getting the right information was a great asset to the fledgling days of WATN. I always enjoyed his posts and had noticed he hadn't been on here for a while.

RIP Barry, you've earnt it. Like Doug says above, please pass my condolences on to all that loved him, if possible.

[john medley]

RIP Barry
Thank you, Brian Lear and others, for the tributes

[Milan Fistonic]

Ver sad news.

Barry was a great help to me when I was having trouble registering on TNF.

Sharing with Barry a passion for collecting motor sport books I was able to keep him informed about any new books published in New Zealand and to send him any that he wanted for his library.

I had always hoped that I would get to Sydney to meet Barry and browse through what must be one of the largest collections in this part of the world. Unfortunately that will now not happen.

R.I.P.

[Catalina Park]

Very sad news.

[gtsmunro]

Condolances to his family.

[E1pix]

Sorry to hear of your mentor's loss, Bruce, and to everyone else affected as well.

RIP

[Michael Ferner]

What a terrible way to begin a Sunday! I saw the thread, and tried to open it fearing, the worst - it wouldn't open for a second or two, one of those 3w hiccups and it nearly killed me with frightful anticipation - oh, no!!

Barry was the first "virtual" person I ever met in real life when he came to Germany in - well, that must have been ten years ago by now. I'll never forget the day I had the privilege to accompany him, visiting the Trips museum in Horrem, and spending the rest of the day in conversation, not only about cars. He was the same wonderful, warm personality I expected to meet after having exchanged many emails, and many posts here on TNF. Truly, a remarkable man. Our contact waned over the last few years, and I regret having not put more effort in it - now, it's too late. I never even knew he was that seriously ill.

A very special person has left us, and we are the poorer for it.

[Barry Boor]

Very nicely put, Michael.

[Gary Davies]

RIP. Condolences to his family and friends.

[LittleChris]

Very sorry to hear this sad news. RIP Barry.

[Geoff Smedley]

Very sorry to hear this sad news. RIP Barry.

First met Barry at Malalar '62 gold star, he was a volunteer pit crew and always liked to remind me, Thanks Barry your involvement in the sport made those old and great days even richer

[eldougo]

Sad news Barry has been really doing it tough in the last few years and i too will miss him and the chat we had about my Ralt back in the late 1990,s.We first meet at a Volvo Car Club meeting at Amaroo Park back in the late 60,s. Introduced to me by the late Peter Wherrett .He called in one day to talk to Ron Tauranac back in the Early Ralt days in Woking when he was on one of his european trips lovely man and will be sadly missed.

[brucemoxon]

Barry Lake's funeral is at 11am this Friday (July 27) at the South Chapel of Woronora Crematorium.



Bruce Moxon

[Allen Brown]

I'm really sorry to hear the news about Barry. He was a huge help when I first published the Australia section on OldRacingCars.com and even sent me a copy of the unpublished manuscript of Cars and Drivers Australia No 4 which contained additional details of some F5000 cars.

It says a lot about Barry that you find his name amongst the contributors to so many motor racing history projects, including Motorsport Memorial and WATN mentioned above. I always found him to be very generous with his time and knowledge - a reminder to all of us to follow his example.

[Tim Murray]

I never knew Barry at all other than through this forum, but I'm very shocked and saddened to hear this news. When I first found TNF ten years ago Barry was a regular poster, and I came to know him as a knowledgeable and conscientious historian who also had a number of excellent anecdotes to tell, and I grew to relish his posts. RIP Barry, and thanks.

[275 GTB-4]

http://www.google.co...p...m1DQ&zoom=1

http://www.flickr.co...9492098/detail/

Edited by 275 GTB-4, 23 July 2012 - 11:30.

[Option1]

Very sad news indeed. May he rest in peace.

Neil

[Jim Thurman]

I'm tardy in replying here, but in addition to the wonderful words written by others, especially echoing Allen and Michael's posts, I also want to pass along my personal condolences and memories.

I exchanged several e-mails with Barry and he was always quite helpful. After he'd stopped posting to TNF for some time, I received an e-mail from Barry out of the blue where something I'd asked about earlier had occurred to him. At the time, he mentioned that he had stepped away from the racing and was simply enjoying the ballroom dancing.

[Wirra]

RIP

It should never be underestimated how much of this joy and passion we have for ‘the old times’ was generated by motorsport journalist. In particular, prior to saturation TV coverage and now the internet, it was the wonderful reporting as much as our own attendance which created the excitement and interest. To Barry and those professional journalists here on TNF, and elsewhere, I will be forever grateful.

[ellrosso]

Yes, well said Peter. As a young bloke down in Tassy in the 60's, those journos and photographers were the only means to keep in touch with the motorsport on "the mainland". The "bible"- Racing Car News, Autosportsman and SCW every month without fail - and I still have them all. They all did such a great job back then, for very little return.

[JacnGille]

Sad news.

[Ray Bell]

I don't know about that...

Max still has his treasured Volvo!

[eldougo]

Having just returned from a well attended service to the memory of Barry LAKE.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Edited by eldougo, 27 July 2012 - 07:15.

[David McKinney]

I've only just caught up with this dreadful news, having been offline for a week (for the second time in a month)

Having been introduced to motor racing in New Zealand, I had to rely for many years on Australian magazines for news of events in both countries, and the respected name of Barry Lake was very familiar to me by the time I first met him in 1972, when we were both acting as co-drivers in NZ's first international rally. We kept up correspondence from then, less so perhaps after his dancing pursuits seemed to take priority over the past few years.

I can only echo the sentiments expressed by others - a knowledgeable enthusiast ever keen to help others with their researches, and always with a very careful eye for accuracy

My sympathies to those close to him

[Ian G]

A few extra bits of Info.

Vale Barry Lake.

[AAA-Eagle]

Just noted that there are 28 books from Barry Lake's library that currently are listed on Australian ebay. More about these books in discovered on ebay thread.

[LittleChris]

Some very nice books on there. I've coveted Cimarosti's History of the Swiss Grand Prix since DSJ mentioned it in a Continental Notes Article in, I think, 1975. Slightly shocked to see Barry Greens Longford book going for the equivalent of £76, enjoyable read but not sure it's worth quite that much

 

The one oddity that I don't think I'd have any interest in was The Official Formula One Annual 2001 Annual Edited by Nigel Mansell . Very out of place in the list

[cooper997]

From around late 2012 to around 12 months ago, Barry's daughter had been doing a fantastic job selling off some of Barry's collection. Then it all stopped. It made me think that someone with deep pockets had procured the collection.

Fast forward to about 3-4 weeks ago and I noticed Barry Lake collection material appearing on eBay again - including those books in the link AAA-Eagle includes. But there was other eBay sellers also listing Barry's stuff. About 2 weeks ago I purchased a couple of items from a seller that had some other items listed as ex Barry's. After the arrival of my purchases I asked the seller were they from Barry Lake. Indeed they were.

What I ended up gleaning from the seller is that in a pretty well kept secret, an industrial auction house sold off 2500 lots of Barry's remaining collection. Everything was in plastic tubs and stacked in shelving making it difficult to view. So basically it was a bit of a punt on what the lots contained. There was online bidding too, but regardless of whether you won at the auction or online it had to be picked up on site. As is the usual case with this style of auction rarely is the true value realised. I made the crack that the only winner would have been the auction house. His response was basically "No, I think I was the winner." Because he will now possibly reach the items potential value.

Stephen

[Spitfire]

Very sad news. RIP

[wilga1]

It is sad to realise it is two years since we lost Barry Lake.

 

With the loss of Barry and Graham Howard, Australia unfortunately lost its two most knowledgeable and authoritative sources of Australian motor sport history. Their knowledge and ability to communicate it are greatly missed. 

 

It is unfortunate that there appears no one to take their places.

[Dick Willis]

Don't despair, the knowledge has been passed on to others.